Peggy's Collection

Friday, 27 January 2012

Guest blog from Harriet Kelsall

Harriet Kelsall runs the UKs leading Bespoke Jewellery Design Company who specialise one-off pieces of jewellery designed especially for their customers. Harriet started the business in 1998 because she wanted good bespoke jewellery design to be affordable and unpretentious and her 30 strong team have been leading the way in bespoke jewellery design ever since. Their most recent awards include the 2011 UK Jewellery Awards and Harriet also holds the coveted Everywoman Retail ‘Woman of the Year’ title. She took time out to write a guest blog on for me describing three of her recent favourite commissions.

As a designer, there is nothing that inspires me and my design team more than an interesting story. Even if one of our clients wants a simple solitaire ring, we love to put something personal into their one-off design for them so that it reflects some part of their story or personality.

When Diana asked me to write this guest blog about a few interesting design commissions, so many came to mind! It has been hard to narrow it down to just three.

Last year we were approached by a lovely couple, Ed and Laura, who wanted me to design a bespoke engagement ring inspired by a peacock feather. They had a lovely story about a happy holiday spent chasing a peacock around a zoo trying to get it to put up its tail! Laura brought her peacock feather along to our studio and we came up with this lovely design for them.

http://www.hkjewellery.co.uk/details/web/type/rings/ID/6397

Another ring that I particularly like was recently designed by Alice who is one of our senior designers here. It was designed for a fan of mathematics in Cambridge who wanted his ring to be made like a Mobius twist. I think the result is beautiful and elegant and I like the fact that you don’t really get the mathematics connection unless you know about it too – it is just a beautiful form:--

We are also very pleased to be one of only a few jewellers allowed to use certificated Fairtrade gold and this was the type of ethical gold that Model, DJ and presenter Lisa Snowdon chose for her bespoke pendant. I love working with Lisa because she is so laid back and creative. She wanted me to design her a pendant which she could wear all of the time. We looked at using the ‘Aum’ or ‘Om’ symbol which is a Buddhist mantra which represents everything in unity. We chose an aspect of that symbol and simplified it to create a symbol that represents Lisa being in the centre of her destiny and dreams. It is to celebrate her 40th birthday on January 23rd and the stone is a beautiful Laser cut garnet (the birthstone for garnet). She is delighted wit the result and even treated me and a few of my team to a very posh tea at the May Fair hotel to say thank you!

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About Me

Hi my name is Diana and I have been designing and making garments for as long as I remember. I have a website called Peggy's Collection where I make vintage inspired designs. Hope you enjoy reading my blog and please follow and leave any comments.